Owner	Pose
Shadow King	Ron has been in captivity for months, now. And he has been entirely uninteresting: he's been a shell of himself. He's sometimes able to figure out how to feed himself if assisted, but for the most part just stares at nothing or mumbles various nonsense.     Today, though, Ron is doing something entirely different: he's stopped staring at nothing, and took his own shower, fixed himself up, to what extent he's able to, and knocked loudly on the ceiling with telekinetic pulses. All of the technology set up to record what's going on in his headspace went crazy with activity throughout this.
Lex Luthor	Lex can't be there all the time, of course. He has a business empire to run, and fools at SHIELD to counter with grand plans. He has, however, setup a portable hologram system near the cage; a cage that has been reinforced over the months to withstand telekinetic pressure. It takes about five minutes after security alerts him to Ron's next activity for Lex to finish a meeting. Around the six minute mark, the projector pops up with an image of the man. He's currently in LexCorp tower in his office with his anti-psychic measures in full effect, "finally have something to say?" Lex offers. His business suit and formal hands behind his back stance are perfectly portrayed in the system.
Shadow King	"Good morning," says Ron politely, as if he were accepting Lex at his door, instead of an appearance of a hologram in the cell Ron's religated to. "'Not quite the reception I expected, but I understand you may have meant it for Ron. 'Finally'? I was not aware you were waiting on me, OR Ron," says 'Ron' crisply, moving to relax in the chair he's provided, sitting comfortably. "Replacing the fungus took a little bit of time. I'm sure you understand. No realm gets built in just a day," Ron says, with a smile.
Lex Luthor	"It's been a while since you took control of this particular host and asked for a meeting. If you wanted to expose Ron to the fools at SHIELD or locally, you've had plenty of time to do so. I can only surmise you want to keep this conduit from that." Lex explains, ignoring the jabs, "You don't strike me as the sort who likes to share too much. Doing things on your own terms. I don't know what we can offer one another just yet, so I've been waiting for you to make the first move, since you obviously had plans after the Avengers dealt with the massive creature under Mexico." Lex gives a small shrug, "plenty of room for negotiations, depending on your reasons for being here, now."
Shadow King	Ron lifts his hands and inclines his head some. The smile is loosely devilish, but not aggressive. "Oh, they are aware, I think. Ron here may need to die, if you don't want SHIELD or some other sad little telepaths sniffing around here. They're getting better at tracking, though they are still woefully behind overall, and I'll route them out at some point. I've evolved beyond using Ron, really, but it was easier to speak to you this way. Waste not, want not." Ron stretches his legs slightly, resting hands together in his lap.     "I am the King of the Astral Plane. That is the best way to refer to me, for now," he says, still crisp, eloquent. "Which means access to minds, globally. I have several goals, most of which include needing more material and physical presence - after all, what use is an army of unarmed people, even if they will do anything I say?---, and removing obnoxious creatures, such as Superman. I'm more than willing to make deals."
Lex Luthor	"I've been monitoring events." Lex notes, neutrally. He looks to the side, "Mercy, bring up the display on the wall." Lex commands of the off-screen bodyguard. His eyes flit over to look at the wall on his end, "the pattern of sleepwalker events suggested an intelligence behind it, but no central purpose that I could be certain of. I presume they were tests to see how much power you had." His eyes speed-read along the file as he speaks, "which begs the question; why do you care about having manpower now? You've never given any indication of being interested in influence beyond dealing with the Xavier mutants before." The statement is toned as a question.
Shadow King	"I'm glad my show interested you. It's attracted just the right sorts of attention, really, and struck just the BEST note of fear into a few groups. The Avengers are paying for mucking with my fungus toys and setting me back on my /timeline/, and are now seeing how ineffective they are," Ron answers smoothly, rolling his tongue over his front teeth, as if the revenge particularly was great fun. "Little tests, yes."     "I'm beyond the little mutants now. Some ARE my pets, I admit, soon it will be most all of them... I've evolved, as I said," says the creature, with an offhanded flex of hand. "I am a kingmaker, well positioned now from my Plane. I lift leaders to be all they can be. And these arrogant heroes, half of them from other planets, running things here? Mmmmm, I think not for much longer. But I don't want to rule here. So it draws to choosing those I whom LIKE to work with. To fill in those 'material' manpower areas I don't care to bother with."
Lex Luthor	There's a slight narrowing of eyes as Lex finishes reading the file, before he brings up the remote in his hand, hitting the voice command button, "Harmony, bring up the pattern map." A moment passes before a global display pops up in his office... with an overlay of icons indicating known 'riots'. "We might be able to do business. I once considered getting into the political arena... but do you know how much power I'd have to give up for my PR campaign around it to be effective?" Lex shakes his head, "The UN seems like a better fit. I'm still debating where to expand." A flick of his wrist, and the global map changes off-screen, to current Light holdings, "You want to keep the Astral plane as your place, and use the humans you control to augment your power. I want the ability to take control of select people to advance my agenda and power on Earth. Seems like you'd be a good partner. I have a few subsidiaries that might work as fronts for your interests."
Shadow King	"You're saying you need /votes/? Easy," states the creature from inside Ron's destroyed psyche. "A population doing some certain thing, particularly if they FEAR something else? Mmmmm." It's delicious chocolate to the self-proclaimed Astral King. "Even easier to simply make the rivals destroy their careers. Probably more elegant, as well." He taps a few fingers against the side of his head, indicating Ron, perhaps. And his shredded brain.     "Yes, expanding my little projects would be quite nice, for me. I tire of constantly micromanging them. And some protection around them frees me up to do other things. I'd also like to re-establish my fungus strategically globally." He considers thoughtfully.     "We /do/ have a problem of trust here, though, Mr. Luthor. Of which I understand. I can say all day long that I'm not interested in breaking anyone that's working with me, but you'll believe what you will believe. I'm open to hearing what you think would help you to ... relax. For me, I will risk my projects, because I am confident in your self-interest."
Lex Luthor	"Harmony, off." Lex commands, before he turns his attention to 'Ron', "I have some matters to deal with before I can commit either way. Is there a way to signal you for a follow up meeting?"
Shadow King	"Yes. I'll provide a number you can contact one of my newer... bodies," answers Ron, deciding to just say it like exactly what it is. It's a body. "I'm going to destroy Ron now, unless you want to chat with visitors that come for him? I'm fine to leave it if you want to see who shows up," he offers, with a tone that suggests he at least thinks he's being very amiable and generous.
Lex Luthor	The palpable cogs in the mind whirring. The strategist in Lex latches onto the idea like a bullet brain, and the smartest man on the planet narrows his eyes slightly, "Let them. It'll be a good test of potential enemies. This entire complex is rigged with a cutting edge self-destruct. The defenses will keep any mundane visitors from entering, so the only people getting in will be those who can bypass cutting edge defense technology and highly trained mercenaries." He smiles, "I'll have a tile in the floor installed with a pressure switch in your cage. Hit it and the self destruct will be almost instant."
Shadow King	"I can plant that suggestion in Ron to do that, yes. I don't intend to watch him here," answers not-Ron. "I have other things to look at," he says, with a grin, and a glint through his eyes. "I have not truly possessed Ron," brags the King, "Merely suggest he act how I like, remotely. You will not find another psychic with such ability." Arrogance and amusement is thick. He's enjoying the brag, very clearly.     "But no need to let anyone unworthy /catch on/, eh? Far funnier if they think they can trap me." There's a slight narrow of eyes, but the smile remains. He's strategic as well, and is telling Lex in no uncertain terms that he's not trappable in this manner.
Lex Luthor	"That's acceptable." Lex nods slightly, before he brings up the remote control again, "I'll be cutting off direct links to the Tower from this point and linking surveillance to a backup station to keep hackers from tracing this connection. I'll be in touch." The command button is pressed. "Harmony, terminate link." Just like that, the hologram projector suddenly becomes hot, the projection winking out of existence as the material inside the complex machine turns to slag. Soon, there's nothing left of it but a puddle of silicon and other materials. This platform is no longer necessary, after all.
Shadow King	Ron is vacated, just as smoothly, after a pause of approximately 45 seconds. The suggestion is being planted. Ron says aloud to whatever is listening, "Mark the pressure self destruct with white chalk. If endangered, it'll be triggered. Drop the dampeners on Ron though; he's not as /powerful/ as I am." Assuming that message will be relayed, Ron collapses to the floor limply, once again a broken, used-up shell.